Our relationship to gravity (posture) can have a tremendous effect on our health. When a spine does not have the proper relationship with gravity, our body goes into a state of dysfunction and dis-ease. This dis-ease can eventually lead to warning signs or symptoms. Symptoms are warning signs that our bodies are out of balance with gravity causing a disruption in the function of the nervous system that controls and coordinates all body actions. The diagram to the right shows what a spine out of balance looks like. Uneven leg length, unlevel pelvis/hips, a high or low shoulder, and a head tilting to the right or left are all indicators of this imbalance.

What creates this imbalance? Trauma is the major cause. At some point in our lives, the head and neck area has had enough trauma to damage the supportive tissue that balances the head on top of the spine. When this occurs, the relationship of the skull, the first cervical vertebra (the atlas), and the rest of the spine is changed. The very first trauma for many patients is their birth.

The resulting postural distortion is due to compression of the brainstem housed by the bones of the upper neck. The brainstem not only controls the muscles of posture, but is considered the fuse box and link between the brain and the rest of the body. When this link is broken, many people will exhibit one or more of the warning signs below.
Reprinted with permission from
Daniel O. Clark, D.C.
www.uppercervicalillustrations.com


ADD/ADHD
· Digestive Problems
· Leg Pain
· Allergies
· Disc Problems
· Low Back Pain
· Anxiety
· Dizziness
· Migraine Headaches
· Arm Pain
· Ear Infections
· Multiple Sclerosis
· Arthritis
· Fibromyalgia
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· Asthma
· Frequent Colds
· Numbness

· Back Pain
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· Painful Menstrual Cycles
· Bed Wetting
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· Sciatica
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Child Development Problems
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